TY - JOUR

T1 - Vertebral Artery Dissection Related to Amphetamine Abuse - A Case Report

AU - Winsløw, Frederik

AU - Hansen, Nadja Skadkær

AU - Jensen, Michael Broksgaard

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - We report the case of a 37-year-old male patient with chronic amphetamine abuse who presented with vertebral artery dissection. Prior to presentation, he had increased the consumption of amphetamine from 5 times a year to once every week and had used amphetamine on the day of presentation. He attended with neck pain, vertigo and coordinating difficulties of his left arm. Computed tomography angiogram of the neck vessels showed a left vertebral stenosis and cerebral magnetic resonance imaging showed a left vertebral pseudolumen and a medullary stroke. Cervical artery dissection is a major cause of stroke in the young. To the authors' knowledge, this is the second reported case of vertebral artery dissection in a patient with amphetamine abuse. Amphetamine might contribute to an increased risk of vertebral artery dissection through its vasculopathic properties although more data are needed to establish a causal relationship.

AB - We report the case of a 37-year-old male patient with chronic amphetamine abuse who presented with vertebral artery dissection. Prior to presentation, he had increased the consumption of amphetamine from 5 times a year to once every week and had used amphetamine on the day of presentation. He attended with neck pain, vertigo and coordinating difficulties of his left arm. Computed tomography angiogram of the neck vessels showed a left vertebral stenosis and cerebral magnetic resonance imaging showed a left vertebral pseudolumen and a medullary stroke. Cervical artery dissection is a major cause of stroke in the young. To the authors' knowledge, this is the second reported case of vertebral artery dissection in a patient with amphetamine abuse. Amphetamine might contribute to an increased risk of vertebral artery dissection through its vasculopathic properties although more data are needed to establish a causal relationship.

KW - Cervical artery dissection

KW - vertebral artery dissection

KW - amphetamine abuse

KW - stroke

KW - YOUNG-ADULTS

KW - STROKE

U2 - 10.1177/1179573520939340

DO - 10.1177/1179573520939340

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 32655281

VL - 12

JO - Journal of Central Nervous System Disease

JF - Journal of Central Nervous System Disease

SN - 1179-5735

ER -